CAREER:The Electrochemical Flow Capacitor: Capacitive Energy Storage in Flowable Media

1351161 -Kumbur这个CAREER提案旨在探索一种称为电化学流量电容器的全新储能概念。它利用了超级电容器和液流电池运行背后的特性，将（i）液流电池的可扩展能量容量与（ii）超级电容器的高额定功率，快速充电和长循环寿命特性相结合。其主要思想是在可流动介质中的电容储能。因此，独特的方面是利用可流动的电容性浆料电极#8232;，其包含悬浮在电解质中的多孔活性炭颗粒。尽管关于悬浮液流动和薄膜电极中的电容性电荷存储已知很多，但是目前还没有描述这两个过程之间的耦合的理论框架。作为#8232;的结果，有一些基本问题需要解决，以#8232;发展这一概念成为一个实用的技术。在此基础上，本文提出了研究目标
这里是建立必要的使能科学，以解决与可流动介质中的电容性电荷存储相关的关键科学空白。根据&这一目标，PI将开展研究，以（i）探索
浆料中的碳颗粒;和（ii）评估浆料组成、性能、系统结构和操作损失之间的相互作用。 为了扩大这项研究的影响，计划制定一项综合教育计划，目标是从K-12到研究生水平的大量学生。教育目标是#8232;a）激励年轻人，特别是女性和少数民族，探索STEM职业，#8232;和B）加强德雷克塞尔大学的能源教育。这些活动包括通过利用德雷克塞尔的国际和国内项目，为本科生、K-12学生和教师开发一门新的储能和研究经验课程。此外，PI将制定一项针对费城少数民族学生家长的家长参与计划，以更好地利用他们作为STEM教育的合作伙伴。我们的目标是提高家长对STEM机会的认识，并帮助他们激励
智力优势：该项目将构成建立用于电能存储的可流动电容浆料电极的使能科学的重要一步。具体而言，它将提供一个深入的理解的性质之间的电容性碳颗粒在可流动的浆料，并帮助建立一个框架，用于描述悬浮液流动和电容性电荷存储之间的耦合。此外，这项工作将通过研究一类独特的可用于储能的电容悬浮液来扩展胶体科学的知识。#23232;的贡献&。更广泛的影响：该项目将促进一种新的储能概念的实施，这种储能概念可能比电池的功率密度高约10倍，充电速度快约100倍，使用寿命更长（约10万次循环）。这种系统的开发将克服与电网规模储能相关的挑战，并能够更好地利用可再生资源。该项目还提供了重要的机会，扩大研究的影响，以更大的观众。大量的学生将受到这项工作的影响。两个博士学生，一些本科生，K-12学生和高中教师将直接参与能源研究，通过国际和国内项目在德雷克塞尔。此外，预计每年将有30多名学生报名参加新开发的储能课程。研究和服务社会之间的联系将通过家长参与讲习班，将重点放在工程师在社会中的作用，促进。这些研讨会将特别强调传统上代表性不足的群体的学生家长，以帮助增加他们在STEM的入学率。

1351161 - KumburThis CAREER proposal aims to explore a fundamentally new energy storage concept called the electrochemical flow capacitor. It exploits the characteristics behind the operation of supercapacitors and flow batteries, combining (i) the scalable energy capacity of flow batteries with (ii) high power ratings, rapid charging and long cycle-life characteristics of supercapacitors.
The main idea is capacitive energy storage in a flowable media. As such, the unique aspect is the utilization of flowable capacitive slurry electrodes
that contain porous activated carbon particles suspended in an electrolyte. Although much
is known about suspension flow and capacitive charge storage in thin film electrodes, currently
there is no theoretical framework describing the coupling between these two processes. As
a result, there are a number of fundamental questions that need to be addressed in order to
develop this concept into a practical technology. Motivated by this, the research objective
here is to establish the enabling science necessary to address the critical scientific gaps related to the capacitive charge storage in flowable media. In line with this
goal, the PI will conduct studies to (i) explore the nature of charge percolation between
the carbon particles in the slurry; and (ii) assess the interplay between slurry composition, performance, system architecture and operational losses. To amplify the impact of this research, an integrated educational plan is planned that targets
a large body of students ranging from K-12 to graduate level. The educational objectives are
a) to inspire young people, especially females and minorities, to explore careers in STEM,
and b) to enhance energy education at Drexel University. These activities include development of a new course on energy storage and research experience for undergraduates, K-12 students
and teachers by leveraging international and domestic programs at Drexel. In addition, the
PI will develop a parental engagement program that targets the parents of minority students
in Philadelphia to better utilize them as partners in STEM education. The goal will be to increase parental awareness of opportunities in STEM and help them motivate
their children to pursue careers in STEM.Intellectual Merit:This project will constitute a major step toward establishing the enabling science of flowable capacitive slurry electrodes for use in electrical energy storage. Specifically, it will provide an in-depth understanding of the nature of charge percolation between the capacitive carbon particles in a flowable slurry and help establish a framework for describing the coupling between suspension flow and capacitive charge storage. Moreover, this work will expand the knowledge in colloidal science by investigating a unique class of capacitive suspensions that can be used for energy storage. Besides contributing
to this concept, the resulting knowledge will help better understand the particle interactions and double layer formation in conventional supercapacitors, and will provide useful insights into other slurry electrode systems (e.g. capacitive water deionization and semi-solid batteries).Broader Impacts:The project will facilitate the implementation of a new energy storage concept, which can potentially approach ~10x higher power density and ~100x faster charging rates with longer lifetime (~100k cycles) than batteries. Development of such systems will overcome challenges associated with grid-scale energy storage and enable better utilization of renewable resources. This project also offers significant opportunities to extend the impact of the research to a larger audience. A large number of students will be affected by this work. Two Ph.D. students, several undergraduates, K-12 students and high school teachers will be directly involved in energy research through international and domestic programs at Drexel. Additionally, more than thirty students per year are expected to enroll in a newly developed energy storage course. Connections between research and service to society will be fostered through the parental engagement workshops that will focus on the role of engineers in society. Special emphasis in these workshops will be given to the parents of students from traditionally underrepresented groups to help increase their enrollment in STEM.